Feeding means for knitting machines



Aug. 12, 1941. E. ST. PIERRE FEEDING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1939 Aug. 12, 1941. E. 51'. PIERRE FEEDINGMEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1939 imam/ak.- in'z'zvzfzmeg 7 7 Aug. 12, 1941. E, sT PIERRE 2,252,214

FEEDING MEANS FOR KNITTINGMACHINES Filed May 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 4a4- 6 26 so I I raj F 16' 5 53 48 3 I. I ft/m v r "i i Aug. 12, 1941. E.ST. PIERRE 2,252,214

FEEDING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Men 70R: 5.225212421952122;

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 FEEDING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Eugene-St.Pierre, Pawtucket, R. I., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls,R. I., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 24, 1939, SerialNo. 275,493

3 Claims.

This case concerns mechanism for application to knitting machines such,for example, as hosiery machines, and for feeding and controllingelastic yarn to those machines.

In the figures of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan showing parts of a conventional hosiery machine towhich the yarn feeding and controlling means have been applied;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing such parts of the machine as seen fromthe front thereof;

Fig. 3 is an elevation-showing parts as illustrated at the top of Fig.2, but wherein the yarn feeding means is in a dilTerent position;

Fig. 4 is a detail of part of the elastic yarn feeding means;

Fig. 5 is aplan showing most of the parts of Fig. 3 and havingcorresponding positions for those parts;

Fig. 6 is a section through the carrier ring of the machine illustratingthe yarn binder and cutter as mounted thereon;

Figs. '7, 8, 9 and 10 are views showing in detail the separate parts ofthe binder and cutter; and

Fig. 11 is an elevation of atypical hosiery machine showing control forth binder and cutter and appropriate cam means for actuating the same.

The mechanism herein shown and claimed is particularly applicable tohosiery'machines, al-

though not necessarily limited to those machines and has exceptionalutility for feeding and controlling elastic yarn in such machines. Inthese machines it is desirable to feed an elastic yarn at times at aposition somewhat in advance of the regular mouthpiece and to be able toinsert and withdraw that yarn to and from the needles clamping the samein a binder and cutting it independently of other yarns being fed atsaid regular mouthpiece, which yarns would prefer ably be held in theusual or regular yarn binder.

In the mechanism herein concerned an elastic yarn is fed to be taken byneedles at a position somewhat' advanced with respect to the usualmouthpiece and, upon withdrawing said yarn from needles taking it, theyarn feeding means is so positioned with respect to a cooperating binderand cutter that the elastic yarn will automatically be taken within thebinder to be cut and held preparatory to its being reintroduced totheneedles at a subsequent time.

In the figures as much of a typical hosiery machine has been illustratedas is necessary to show properly the application and mode of oper ationof those parts which constitute the invention. The needle cylinder I isto be rotated relatively to certain cams (not shown) said cylinderhaving operable therein th usual needles which cooperate with sinkers(not shown) in drawing stitches, but which would be mounted and wouldfunction in a sinker head 2 as influenced by the more or lessconventional sinker cams in a cap 3-. A carrier ring 4 would be mountedin the usual way and would have in an extension. 5 a series of yarnlevers B which would pivot on a pin 1 passing through the upstandingears 8 and 9. These levers 6 are for the purpose of feeding the ordinaryknitting yarns such as yarns for the le heel and toe, reinforcing in thesole and others. They are controlled by a series of levers l0 pivoted atH at the front of a yarn lever control box H which is suitably attachedto-the circular base l3. From these levers Ill a series of connectionslead down to appropriate means at a cam drum on th main cam shaft of themachine so that at the correct tim in the knitting of a stocking yarnswill be introduced to the needles or withdrawn. A disclosure of suchmechanism and function is available in United States Patent #933,443.The cutter and binder (not shown completely) would be associated with aplate l4 attached to arm I5. This cutter and binder are conventional onBanner machines and no further disclosure or showing need be given here.

At the front of the machine a lever I6 is to be pivoted at I! on a studprojecting from part of the extension 5. This stud has thereon suitableretaining and spacing collars which allow the said lever to be freelymovable on the stud except as controlled by mechanism presently to bedescribed. A spring 18 is wound about part of the stud and contacts thetop of the lever'normally to urge the same downwardly until stopped bycontact of an extending part of that lever indicated by numeral I 9 withthe carrier ring. This extension [9 is attached to the first mentionedlever it by screws which pass through a slot 20 and are threaded intothe extension l9. This slot allows for a certain amount of adjustment ofthe extension with respect to the lever so as to vary the position atwhich an elastic thread a: is to be fed. The elastic thread is actuallyguided through an eyelet or opening at the lower end of a thin plate 2|which is vertically adjustable at the end of the extension I 9. Theplate has a slot 22 which is guided by'a pin 23 and screw 24, the latterbeing for the purpose of clamping the plate in a properly adjustedposition. This plate may be adjusted vertically so as to feed theelastic to hooks of needles in proper relation ship thereto, oralternately, may be so positioned as to feed below needle latches.Obviously the plate may be adjusted to feed. at any desired positionwith respect to the needle hooks or latches and once set to a desiredposition, will assume the same position each time the elastic yarn is tobe fedsince the extension l9 acts as a stop as it bears upon the top ofth carrier ring 4 as shown in Fig. 2. The elastic yarn is shown feedingto hooks of needles in Fig. 4.

This elastic yarn feeding means is controlled by a second lever or arm26 pivoted at 2'! and having an angularly bent, inwardly projecting end28 engaging beneath the lever [6. At the opposite end the arm 26 has anextending stud 29, Figs. 1, 2 and 11, through which projects a wire rod30 to extend down through an opening 3| in plate 32 which is fixed atthe top of the yarn lever control box l2. The wire rod has a collar 33by means of which an adjustment may be effected so as properly to engageand raise the elastic feeding means. At the lower end this rod' connectsto the usual means (not shown) to be controlled by the cam drum at themain cam shaft. The cams on the drum are suitably arranged so as to dropthe feeding means to the position of Figs. 1 and 2 whenever yarn is tobe takenat theneedles, and to raise that feeding 'means' to the positionof Figs. 3 and 5 as yarn is to be withdrawn. Obviously, according toarrangement of such cams the elastic may be fed at desired times andthroughout desired intervals.

A binder and cutter are positioned slightly in advance of the regularmouthpiece and are mounted on a plate 34 which is in turn fixed to thecarrier ring at the relative position shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 9. Thecutter and binder comprise certain parts as illustrated in these Figs.6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. To the plate 34 there is attached a strip 35 which isconnected to the plate 34 by a screw 36 as shown in Fig. 9 and also whenthe assembly is completed, by an elongated'stud 31 which serves toprevent the strip 35 from relative movement with respect to plate 34.Strip 35 has a slot 38, the purpose of which will be made clear in duecourse.

The lower cutter element 39, Fig. 10, has an opening 40 which fitsfreely over stud 31, said cutter element being sharpened at the end asshown in Fig. 6. This cutter element also has threaded to its oppositeend a pin 4|. The movable cutting and clamping element generallydesignated by numeral 42, Fig. 8, has connected thereto an extension 43by means of which it is to be operated. The part 42 has a slot 44 whichengages about the stud 31 and also about the pin M. A second pin 45 isthreaded to project from the lower side of the element 42 and as showninFig. 6 extends down into slot 33 when the parts are assembled. Theseslots 38 and 44 allow the movable parts of the binder and cutter toslide with relative freedom, but prevent them from movement in otherdirections. The pin 4i in the cutter element 39 also prevents that piecefrom swinging about the stud 31. The movable cutter element 42 has anotch 46 into which the yarn is guided as shown in Fig. 5 when thecutter is opened preparatory to receiving that yarn. The front side ofthe notch is bevelled and sharpened to cooperate with the front edge ofelement 39in cutting the yarn. 7

Another plate 41, Fig. 7, has an opening 48 therein so that it mayfreely slide over the stud 31. Plate 41 has another hole 49 throughwhich pin 4l projects after the plate has been'dropped down over stud 31and said pin. When in the position shown in Fig. 6 the movable cutterelement 42 will slide between the plate 41 and lower cutter 39. Yarnwill be cut by the cooperating sharp edges at the front of notch 46 andelement 39, but will merely be bound as it is squeezed between the topof the movable element 42 and plate 41. The latter is spring pressed bymeans of a spring 56 which bears upon a washer on plate 47 and isadjustable as to tension by means The said movable element in the binderand cutter is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 6 by a tensionspring 52, Fig. 5, which connects to certain appropriate projections onparts 42 and 35 and has enough strength to impart the binding andcutting movement to said movable element 42. At such times as an elasticyarn is to be taken in the notch 46, the movable element is pushedoutwardly to the position of Fig. 5 by means of a lever 53 which engagesa downwardly projecting pin 54 at the outer end of extension 43, Figs.1, 2 and 5. This lever 53 is pivoted at 55 and at its other end isconnected by a link 56 to one arm 5'! of a bell crank lever. Said bellcrank lever as more clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 11, swings aboutpivot 58 on a bracket 59 projecting upwardly from an extension to thecircular base. The other arm 69 of this lever connects to a dependinglink 6! which in turn connects to a lever 62 pivoted at 63 and having acam engaging toe 64. That toe is adapted to be engaged by a cam' 65 ondrum 66 fixed to one end of the main cam shaft 61, Fig. 11. A spring 68connects to part of the frame and a collar on the link 6| and normallytends to maintain toe 64 downwardly against drum 66 except as raised bythe cam. A stop screw 69 serves to limit movement of the parts in thatdirection, it being only necessary for the lever 62, upon toe 64dropping from cam 65, to bring about such movement as would allow thebinder and cutter element 42 to move to about the position shown in Fig.6.

The position of the binder and cutter is such that when the cutter isopened as in Fig. 5 prior to receiving the elastic yarn, the last needletaking the same will draw the yarn around beneath the cutter so thatupon upward movement of the feeding means whichis properly timed, theyarn will move into the notch 46. The upward movement of the feedingmeans will be substantially complete when the last needle taking theyarn has moved to about the position shown in that Fig. 5 at which timethe toe 64 of lever 62 will drop from the cam 65, Fig. 11, whereupon thecutter will close and will cut and bind the yarn as shown in Fig. 3.Upon reintroducing the yarn to the needles as in Fig. 1, the yarnfeeding means is merely moved down to the position of Figs. 1, 2 and 4whereupon the elastic yarn will extend from the binder to the eyelet inthe plate 2| and will be in a position to be taken by needles such asare designed to take it, for example, every other needle, every fourthneedle or any other combination of needles which is desired. After thesaid yarn has been taken by a leading needle and a few other needles andas those needles pass the binder the end will be pulled therefrom andknitting of the elastic yarn may continue as long as desired. While cam65 as herein shown merely contemplates one opening movement of thebinder for a knitted article, it is quite possible that the binder andcutter may be used more than once during the knitting of each individualarticle, in fact, it being merely a matter of control to withdraw theyarn and insert it for single courses in which instance the binder andcutter would open and close to receive the yarn once for each coursewhen elastic was knitted.

The invention has been described with respect to its application to ahosiery machine which may be of any of the usual types and may beprovided with any of the existing mechanisms for patterning such asreverse plating or wrap striping. The feeding means is particularlyadapted to be employed with elastic yarn such as covered elastic orwould be equally applied to knitting in which uncovered or so-called rawelastic is employed. The invention is not to be limited other than bythe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine the combination of a series of needles movablewith respect to a mouthpiece, feeding means for yarns in saidmouthpiece, an elastic yarn feeding means in advance of said mouthpiece,said elastic yarn feeding means being vertically movable towithdraw yarnfrom the needles when raised, a binder and cutter operable in ahorizontal plane having a movable cutting and binding element with anotch therein for engagement of the yarn, said movable element being sopositioned with respect to the vertically movable feeding means thatwhen said feeding means is raised to inactive position, the elastic yarnwill be so positioned as to be engaged within the notch in the movableelement whereupon it may be cut and bound.

2. In a knitting machine the combination of a vertically swinging yarnfeeding means and a horizontally movable binder and cutter, saidvertically movable yarn feeding means being positioned to feed a yarn inadvance of said binder and cutter and the binder and cutter having amovable element therein having a notch directed horizontally and towardthe feeding means to receive a yarn, said binder and cutter being sopositioned with respect to the feeding means that upon withdrawal offeeding yarn the yarn will be raised by the feeding means and willextend from said feeding means to the last needle having taken the yarnand in such a position as to be drawn into the notch in the movablecutting element whereupon it may be cut and bound.

3. In a knitting machine the combination of a vertically swinging yarnfeeding finger and a horizontally movable binder and cutter, saidvertically movable yarn feeding finger being so positioned as to feed ayarn in advance of said binder and cutter, the binder and cutter beinglocated entirely without the needle circle and having a movable yarnreceiving and cutting means projectable within the needle circle andhaving a notch horizontally directed toward the feeding means forreceiving the yarn, said binder and cutter being so positioned andoperated with respect to the feeding means that upon withdrawal of ayarn it will extend from a last needle knitting it to the feeding meansand in the pathway of the binder and cutter so as to be caught in thehorizontally disposed notch whereupon it may be bound and cut.

EUGENE ST. PIERRE.

